St. Landry democrat., 1887-05-07
Communicated
THE MERRY MAKERS


-
! On the evening of the 9th of April
| the writer attended the ball at Grand
Coteau, given by the Merry Makers
| Association of that place, for the bene-
! fit of the organization and the amuse-
| ment and pleasure of their many
! friends there and elsewhere.
The success of the entertainment in
every respect was manifest, If not
financially, it was Enthusiastically an oc-
casion of intense enjoyment to the
young folks.
The young gentlemen of Grand CO.
teau in August, 1886, organized a joint
stock ass"ciation, happily Designated
Merry Makers and elected Messrs.
A. u. Meche, Nalsin Richard, DR.. Is.
Guilbeau, DR.. L. S. Barry, Jules Petetin
NJ. d. Levy and Z. Y. Barry lis IA board
OF Trustees. subsequently the board
of Trustees elected their officers as
follows: L. Y Ba"r- President, Jules
Petctin Treasurer and f.. 5. Barry
Secretary.
The energy, capacity and thorough
efficiency OF, not only the board OF
Trustees but of its officers, is demon
Strated by the fact that since its "rghni
cation grand Hall some thirty five
with lofty ceiling, ample space for
Terpsichurian amusement or an an
dicnce. The Hall is designated both
for the dance and the drama. In the
rear an elevated stage is built with the
necessary appultenances for dramatic
performances, upon which, in the near
future, the historic talent of Grand Co.
teau'S fair women and men is sOOn to
be developed.
1t was the good fortune of the writer
to witness a dramatic performance in
Grand Cotcan a number of years back
in which Dr.. +. Gnilbean personated a
European frenchman in manner so
true to life that he kept the audience
in continual nproar of laughter. His
associates in the play were equally pro-
iicient and the performance received
such universal commentator at the
time that many INDUCED the hope that
Grand Cotean would continue to cult
vate its dramatic talent.
The Merry Makers have taken hold
Of the matter in the right way and
with the means and appliances at their
command backed up Ply officers of abil
ity and high standing in their comnu-
nifty there can be no doubt that they
will succeed in making their Hall IA
tons a guarantee OF amusement and
pleasure to all.
On the night of the o1th there were
gathered there the beauty and chivalry"
of Grand Coteau with lovely girls and
stalwart youths from Il distance. On
the right of the entrance there were re-
freshments for the gentlemen dispensed
bv MeSsrs. Walter Gardner and Frank
Barry and on the left, delicious bevtr-
ages for the ladies presided over hv
Mrs. +. Tassiu and Mrs. F. Brinkhaus
while in the rear the stage was occn-
pied by the musicians, an amateur
band of Grand Coteau. whose playing
was highly creditable in every respect
All went merry as ii marriage hell-'
from the beginning to the end, without
a lar or cross word. The ball began
with smiling faces and ended in the
F." wee Sma hours" of the morning with
"Thank you Merry Makers for our
evenings pleasure upon the lips of the
deDarting guests.
II would be inyidious to mention any
one of the many beautiful girls of
Grand Coiean who graced the occasion
with their presence. Indeed the writer
could not give the full name of any one
there. As Il general rnIe he gets be-
"flttl III EttstDtt III 81 btA vi
pretty girls and being about as much
on this OCCASION as ever he
has about wit ennngl, left to appreciate
the wisdom of not getting between
Scylla and Charybdis.
II was pleasing doubtless to the Mrr-
nv Makers and the ladies of Grand CO.
teau to have guests from distance.
Among them the following young la
dies were present. Misses Cora and
Alice Stage from Bayou BGuf, Miss
Rosa Castillo from Lafayette, Misses
Lastrapes from the Teche, Miss Hattie
Haas from Bayou Chicot, and Mrs. W.
Anderson of Opelousas.
There were others whose names the
writer did not learn but would be glad
to know and pleased to mention.
1t is to he hoped that the Merry Ma
kers' Association will become a perma-
nent organization. and as such, a con-
stantly recurring source of not only
and pleasure TO the yenng
bnt Of profitable entertainment to all.
Their success in the past is an earnest
of what may he expected in the fntnre
and the ability, the urbanity and the
energy together with the youth of its
officials give ample guarantee of per
manency.
That they may make Grand Coteau a
center of social and refined entertain